The ride to Sean's was silent except for the music playing. Lucas was occupied with the scenery going by, and he knew that something was bothering Ellie, but he didn't ask what it was, sticking to how he knew he'd want to be approached in such a situation. He figured that because they were so alike, she'd most likely appreciate not being prodded for answers or reasons, just as he would.
They pulled off of the freeway and into a residential area, so much different than the ones that Lucas had grown up in. These homes weren't grand and showy. Normal people lived here; people with normal jobs and lives and families. Ellie followed the commands that the navigational system spoke out, and they wound through various streets before stopping in front of a yellow, two story home. Lucas looked it over, suddenly feeling a bit overwhelmed. The last person to see his mother alive lived here. What was he going to say? Ellie touched his hand, snapping him out of his thoughts. He looked over at her, not sure what to say.
"It'll be cool Lucas, Sean's a great guy."
"I don't know what I should say to him…"
"I can't come with you."
"Why? I'm sure he'd be happy to see you."
"I mean I can't come at first, right now it's all you."
Lucas took a deep breath and opened the car door. He shut it, turning back to lean in the window and look at Ellie. She smiled at him reassuringly and gave him an encouraging nod. He turned around and walked slowly up the path to the house, feeling extremely anxious. He hadn't even felt this anxious his first day on the SeaQuest. He reached the door and pressed the button, ringing the door bell. He heard someone coming and his breath caught in his throat. As the door opened, he looked down on a young girl of maybe 7 or 8.
"Uh…hi…is your mom or dad home?"
The little girl nodded before shouting out, "Daddy! Door for you!"
"Who is it Ellie?" a man's voice called out.
Lucas gasped. This little girl's name was Ellie? He didn't have time to progress beyond that thought before Sean came around the corner. He was wearing jeans and t-shirt, looking nothing like he would expect a dad to. When he caught sight of Lucas he stopped short.
"Ellie, go on back to watching T.V." The little girl looked at him strangely but complied nonetheless. "Can I help you?" he asked Lucas.
"Yes…are you Sean Montgomery?"
"Yes I am…"
"Did you know Ellie James?"
"I did, why?"
Lucas took a deep breath. "I'm her son, Lucas."
Sean blinked hard. "Lucas? As in Lucas Wolenczak?"
"That's me."
"Oh my God…what are you doing here? How did you find me?"
"I looked you up. I'm here because I know about Ellie and Gavin, and I want to meet my family. I know you were there with her…when it happened."
"Jesus, you look just like your father."
"I've heard that somewhere," Lucas replied.
"Wow, where are my manners? Come in, please."
Lucas turned to look back at the car and Ellie, but she was gone. He didn't have to wait long to find out where she was. One look at Sean's face told him.
"Hello Sean."
"Ellie," Sean breathed. "How…"
"Magic," Ellie replied.
"No…Ellie, you're supposed to be dead."
"Oh, I am."
"But…if...what in the hell is going on?"
"Can we still come in Sean?" Ellie asked.
Sean nodded dumbly and they stepped inside. Lucas looked around; it looked so different from the homes he'd grown up in. It was warm, pictures of family on the walls, children's toys scattered about.
"Follow me," Sean said quietly and walked down the hall and up the stairs. Lucas followed him into a study that seemed to double as a music room as Ellie came in behind and shut the door.
"Sean, how have you been?" Ellie said nonchalantly.
"No no no. First things first. What in the hell is going on here?"
Lucas moved to speak, but Ellie stopped him. "About 6 months ago, Gavin sent me to where Lucas was; the me from 2002. To make a long story short, Lucas learned the truth about his parents. There are DNA tests proving it. We went to a parapsychology center in Florida where they hooked the "alive" me up to a machine so he could get to know me through my memories. He saw it all Sean, saw how Lawrence treated me, how you were there for me during my pregnancy and his birth, saw how I died and how it was done. Gavin was there, talking him through it all."
Sean shook his head. "But Ellie, how are you here? If you're dead, how are you talking to me right now?"
"I told you Sean, magic. I don't know how to explain it, I just can be. Lucas needs your help Sean, and he wants to know you. He's had a rough life."
Sean moved toward Ellie, but her glance was unwavering. He reached out to touch her, and she didn't move. As his hand touched her skin, he jumped back.
"You're as solid as I am."
"Surprised?"
Sean looked to Lucas again. "I never thought I'd see you again. Lawrence took you right out of the hospital and gave you to Cynthia. He took you away from all of us."
"They were the only parents I knew, though they weren't much in the way of parents. I had a nanny to raise me. They were always gone."
"Doesn't surprise me, Lawrence was never known for being the warmest guy on the planet."
Lucas smirked. "Definitely true."
"God, I can't get over how much he looks like Gavin! You need my help, what can I do for you?"
Lucas sighed. "I want to make Lawrence pay. He had them both killed and got away with it. He took away the life I was supposed to have and put something completely lacking in its place. I need you to help me do it."
"I've been waiting for payback for 17 years Lucas. I knew he had something to do with it, knew it all along but could never get anyone to listen to me. I'm in, what do you need me to do?"
Ellie interrupted. "Before we get into the revenge planning, I'd really like to show Lucas around first. I don't know what is still here Sean, and what's not. I was hoping that you could come with us?"
"What's still here? Like what do you mean?"
"Oh you know, all the old haunts," Ellie said with a smile. "I want him to see all of those places we went; the ones that still exist anyway."
"Ahhh I see. Get to know his history so to speak huh? You ever been here Lucas?"
"No, I've been just about everywhere else though."
"Figures, no going back to the scene of the crime."
"Sean…." Ellie said.
"Sorry. I'd be happy to show you around. First though, tell me about you! What have you been doing all of this time?"
Ellie beat Lucas to it. "Oh! Sean! He's a genius! He invented this thing called the vocorder that makes dolphins talk, and he's on the SeaQuest and…."
"Whoa whoa whoa Elle Belle! Let him tell me."
"Oh…you're right…sorry honey. Go ahead."
Lucas grinned. "Well, to condense it, we moved all around the world. I was done with elementary school by 9 and high school by 13. I graduated magna cum laude from Stanford with a degree in Applied Principles of Artificial Intelligence when I was 16. Pretty much right after graduation he shipped me off to work on the SeaQuest, one of the UEO's flagship vessels. I'm the Chief Computer Analyst there. She's right, I did invent the vocorder, which, to simplify it greatly, does make a dolphin able to speak to humans in a way they can understand."
"Wow, graduating from Stanford by age 16? And magna cum laude no less? That's impressive Lucas. I thought little Ellie was smart! I've heard of the SeaQuest, what an opportunity for you."
"I didn't see it as much of an opportunity at first; I saw it more as exile. Thought that I had done something wrong. Come to find out my only crime was taking after my real mother."
Sean laughed. "Of course! He couldn't stand Ellie's free spirit and independence. If that was replicated in you, I'm sure it drove him absolutely mad. What do you think of being on the SeaQuest now?"
"I like it actually, it's the most stable place I've been my whole life."
Sean nodded. "Gavin, wherever he is, must have turned green with envy to see you get that sort of assignment. That would have been his dream job."
"He definitely would have liked it," Ellie agreed. "And who is 'little Ellie'?"
"I'm sorry that Lawrence ripped you off Lucas," Sean said.
"Well, I fully plan of remedying that shortly."
Sean grinned. "And I fully plan on enjoying every detail. To answer your question Elle, little Ellie is my daughter. I named her after you."
Ellie was speechless for a moment. "Sean! You grew up! I thought you were going to be like Peter Pan!"
"I thought so too," he replied. "Then I met a fabulous woman and, well, she tamed me."
Ellie laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "But you've got a daughter now, that's wonderful!"
Sean nodded. "She's my world. I never thought I could love another human being that much. When she was born, I thought about you and Lucas, and about when he was born and how happy you were. It hurt me down to the depths of my soul to know that you never got the chance to love him like I love my daughter. He deserved to have you in his life after everything that you went through. I know you didn't have Gavin, but I would've tried my damnedest to be a father figure in his life."
"But I have my chance now Sean. I may have missed his growing up, but I'm with him now and I don't plan on going anywhere."
Sean looked up at her, tears in his eyes. "Yes, you do have him now, don't you? Lawrence may have thought he could take Lucas from you, but boy was he ever wrong."
Ellie stood on her toes and wrapped her arms around Sean's neck. He hugged her to him fiercely. "I've missed you Elle, I really have. I'm so sorry I couldn't stop it…"
"Sean, don't. No regrets. Ever."
Lucas watched the scene, trying to detach himself from it, but unable to. He found himself slowly walking toward them both, unsure of why or what he wanted. Sean looked up and saw Lucas edging ever closer and looking confused. He took one arm from around Ellie, and put it around Lucas, who was now within range. He pulled the teen close to him, just as he had done with Ellie, and he hugged them both. Lucas was stunned for a moment, unsure of what to do, but his subconscious responded without him, and he threw one arm around Sean and one around Ellie.
"Welcome back Lucas," Sean said.
Despite his most stoic attempts, Lucas couldn't stop the emotions that took him over. Was this what it felt like to have a father? He hadn't even noticed that Ellie had moved away, and that he was the only one left in Sean's embrace. He hadn't realized how truly lost he'd felt until this very moment. Lucas finally pulled away, swiping at his eyes quickly.
Ellie smiled at them both. "Now that the reunion is over, let's go have some fun."
Lucas chuckled. "I'm definitely ready for fun and it has to involve eating again at some point."
"Lucas! You just ate!"
"C'mon Elle, you remember how Gavin and I ate when we were his age. You used to tease us about where we hid all the food, saying we had hollow legs or something."
"I still think you did," Ellie sniffed.
"I know of one place that has it all," Sean said, shooting a look to Ellie.
Ellie gasped. "It's still here!"
"Yup, let's go."